Follow up the Treatment Process of Mitral Valve Diseases by Radiography and Echocardiography in Dogs

Background: Mitral valve disease is the most common acquired heart disease in dogs. Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) due to endocardiosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in dog. Echocardiography as a noninvasive tool is routinely used to evaluate and diagnose different disorders in the heart. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of medical treatments and followup administration by the veterinarians in Tehran, using radiography and echocardiography. Methods: A total of 35 dogs from various breeds with cardiac heat failure (CHF) because of MR were selected for prospective randomized study. After clinical examination and radiography, progressive mitral endocardiosis was confirmed by echocardiography.  After that, patients were treated by a routine plans recommended by the general practitioners (12 active small animal clinicians). Followup radiography and echocardiography were performed again after 3 months for checking the efficacy of treatment protocol on cardiac output. Results: None of the medically treated patients statically showed significant improvement in their radiographic or echocardiographic parameters, that can be the outcome of incompatibility of using protocols with the standard ones. Conclusions: Although more studies are needed, based on the present results there was no significant change in cardiac parameters after 3 months of treatment. It seems that the current routine medication used by the active practitioner is not effective and cannot make a better quality of life in short term and requires changing the dose, the drugs producers or use of different  prescription items.